I love when fairy tales come to life, at least on screen. Lately there have been scores of fantasy and fairy tale movies being reinterpreted, and they usually include whimsical and wondrous songs to help tell the story. Here are some beautiful tunes from such films for your enjoyment!

Red Riding Hood – ‘Keep the Streets Empty for Me’ by Fever Ray

Rising from the darkness, the track starts off with Fever Ray’s haunting and intriguing voice. The track fits like a glove around this dark rendition of the Little Red Riding Hood story. In keeping with the eerie story of the girl and the wolf, the song lets you imagine the fog and shadows that she passed through on her journey through the woods.

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – ‘Can’t Take It In’ by Imogen Heap

The movie is full of mystical creatures and beautiful costumes, worn most vividly by Tilda Swinton. Imogen Heap‘s Can’t Take It In, is played during the final credits. You can just feel how the song sums up the whole movie within the first few notes. As usual, Imogen uses the power of space, and widens the spectrum in the track by use of electronic rhythms and other glistening sounds.

Alice in Wonderland – ‘Alice’ by Avril Lavigne

Tim Burton‘s Alice in Wonderland was brilliant with his twisted style, and the title track called Alice tried hard to keep up with the look and feel of the film. Nevertheless, the alternative dark sounds in the track matched the films vibe. Though I thought Avril Lavigne’s screaming and shrieking was a little much.

Snow White and the Huntsmen – ‘Breath of Life’ by Florence and the Machine

Florence Welch wrote and performed this track in the U.S. exclusively for the film. The song boasts Florence’s signature gothic chants and gregarious drum rolls, and she added an entire orchestra with violists et all.  All of Flo’s usual elements are perfect for the film as it rises and falls, before picking up suddenly with the orchestra and her epic notes.

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring – ‘May It Be’ by Enya

Here’s a little trivia, Peter Jackson invited Enya to write the track for his film. Enya flew to New Zealand during the final edits, and composed the track using a few words from the fictional Elfish language called ‘Quenya’. This soothing fantasy score has been picked up by DJs in their mixes, and many Celtic and rock artists have performed covers of the track.

So why did I decide to give you this unexpected list of fantasy movie soundtracks? Fantasy films embody creativeness and have that general feel-good factor. Music is a free language and should be shared… so enjoy!